Becoming Licenced

Within the scope of Combined Services Discipline, competitors are involved in matches involving both rifles and pistols. To attain a firearms licence in NSW, there are a number of steps.

The first and most important is to determine what type of shooting you wish to be involved in – whether it be target/sporting, hunting/vermin control or both. Each type of firearm fits into a Category, and each of these categories requires a genuine reason prior to a licence being enacted. The categories of licence relevant to Combined Services Discipline can be found listed below:

Genuine Reasons:
For every Category of licence you wish to apply for, you must have a genuine reason or both reasons should you wish to engage in both activities. For Category A & B genuine reasons include but are not limited to:

Sport/Target Shooting – The person is a member of an Approved Target Shooting Club
Recreational Hunting/Vermin Control – The person is a member of an Approved Hunting Organisation, or has ownership/written permission to shoot on rural land.
For Category H, the licence required for ownership and possession of pistols Sport/Target Shooting is the only accepted genuine reason.

Applying for a licence
Once you have determined what categories of licences you require, what what genuine reasons you will use for these categories – you can begin the paperwork process through shooting organisations and NSW Firearms Registry. It is best to apply for as many categories as one intends to participate in, as every change requires a reprint of the licence at a not inconsiderate cost to the licencee.

Step One
Contact NSW Firearms Registry and get the relevant application form for the licence you are seeking. You need to know the Category or Categories of Licence you wish to apply for, and the genuine reason you will use for each category.
Apply online for the application forms at the NSW Firearms Registry website. Alternatively, call on 1300 362 562 and request a firearms licence application form.

Step Two
While the paperwork is being mailed out to you, begin establishing your genuine reason for the licence categories you are seeking. For competitive/target shooting join an Approved Target Shooting Club, for hunting/vermin control join an approved hunting organisation or show proof that you own or have permission to hunt on rural land. Some organisations, such as the SSAA for example – are both Approved Target Shooting Clubs AND Approved Hunting Organisations. This means you can use the one membership for both target and hunting category licences. For pistol clubs, you will need to become a member of an Approved Pistol Club

Step Three
Before you return your firearms licence application you must attain certification that you have undergone a safety course. Category A and B Licences require you sit a Firearms Safe Handling course by an Approved Training Provider – many clubs run these courses. Category H Licences require a similar course, but these will be run by the individual pistol club that you become a member of.

Step Four
Send away your application with all supporting documentation to Firearms Registry.